Minister Riddle Will See You Now
Chapter 2: The Pursuit
Time was rushed as Hermione struggled to finish the chores left for her to complete at Tomes and Scrolls. Mr. Tolliver had certainly left her with a lengthier list this Saturday than usual. It was payday though so she was able to take her paltry monthly sum and add it to her money pouch. She had saved enough for her first month of rent and perhaps a month of groceries. She really just needed to save enough for professional clothing and hope she got a job right away. Mr. Tolliver already told her he could only allow her to work Saturdays until the end of the term.
She trudged through the grounds after her shift and made her way to the hospital wing. Luna was still sedated and her leg was wrapped in bandages. Hermione set the scrolls of the interview questions and answers down on the bedside table, spelled to jinx anyone but Luna who tried to touch them.
Dinner was over but she had a couple hours to go until curfew when she would have to conduct her rounds as Head Girl. She managed to get halfway through the revision plan she'd set for herself and would have to complete the other half tomorrow on top of tomorrow's revisions.
Being muggleborn and not having connections in the wizarding world sure made it difficult to make a name for oneself. Without 11 NEWTs, Hermione was afraid that no one would take her seriously. She was a female on top of having muggles for parents. People treated her delicately as though she couldn't handle anything more than sitting on a shelf and looking pretty.
Back in the common room, Ginny attacked her.
"I made it, Mia, I made it! The Harpies want me and so do the Kestrels and Puddlemere!"
She was happy for her friend, she was, but it only made her feel more trepidation about her own ominous future. Hermione smiled and hung about with Harry and Ron and Neville who were all drinking contraband Firewhiskey to celebrate Ginny's success but then Harry and Ginny started to get disgusting and Ron started trying to slip his arm behind her on the couch.
"I'm going to bed, guys. Sorry. I'm tired. I had a busy day," she said as she stepped over legs and bodies to work her way out of the group of 7th year Gryffindor's draped on the couches and chairs in front of the fire.
"But My-uh! We're having fun," Ron whined, his face red from the whiskey.
Hermione didn't reply, she just waved bye over her shoulder as she made her way into her private room behind the tapestry by the staircases that led to the girls dorms.
Despite having a closed window and a fireplace that wasn't connected to the floo network, there was a package sitting on her bed. She supposed a house elf could have delivered it but she didn't know why they would.
Approaching the box wrapped in plain brown paper, she checked for spells and when she could find nothing, she picked up the elegant cream colored card with gold ink with the most beautiful spidery handwriting.
Miss Hermione Granger,
What a pleasure it was to meet you today. I can honestly say that it was the most agreeable interview that I have ever been subjected to.
I wanted to express my best wishes for your NEWTs as 11 is a lofty goal. I would know.
Please accept this gift as a thank you for a diverting afternoon and as an apology for what my office door did to your bag.
Most Sincerely,
Minister Tom M. Riddle
Her insides froze as she reverently set the card aside. She tapped the box and unwrapped it to reveal a plain box. She lifted the lid and peered inside slowly. A dark brown leather satchel rested inside on a bed of crushed purple velvet. She lifted the bag out of the box and was surprised at how lightweight it was. It was dragonhide, that much was clear.
She flipped up the flap to the satchel and peered inside. There was a book resting inside the bag. She reached in but she had to stick her whole arm in to reach the bottom. Her eyebrows raised in surprise. It had an undetectable extension charm on it. She cast a few spells at the book but found it harmless. She peered at it and was shocked to see a replica of the Merlin journal. Even copies of the journal were rare. She flipped through it and saw on the inside cover that there was a handwritten message in the same spidery scrawl as the note card.
Hermione,
A girl as inquisitive as you should have her thirst encouraged and sated. It was a pleasure to see a similar curious mind in such a beautiful girl.
T.M. Riddle
A slip of parchment fell out of the pages and Hermione had to set the book down to retrieve it. It was a simple parchment with a quote written on it, it's handwriting matching all the rest.
"Aware that she was on the edge of an abyss, that he must call her back very gently, he laid only the lightest of hands on her in warning."
Alarmed, she dropped the parchment on her bed. What was that supposed to mean? She'd barely met this man. She'd not really had much of a connection with him at all, she thought. Who was he to send her such lavish gifts so soon after meeting her in a professional setting? The and was a beautiful and thoughtful gesture but it was much too rich for someone like her. She couldn't accept it. The book was scandalous in the amount of money that it must have cost. The notes that came on the card attached to the package and the inscription on the cover seemed a little too personal to her. She felt their familiarity was a bit invasive.
The quote was just the icing on the pumpkin pastie. Was he warning her that she was in trouble? What sort of an abyss was she facing? Aside from a few harmless spells that were illegal she'd never done anything wrong. She'd never so much as had a detention, for Merlin's sake! And the part of the quote that referenced him laying his hands on her…. It was a bit creepy.
She repackaged everything the way she found it except the quote on the slip of parchment. She pressed it between the pages of the book on her nightstand, her current pleasure read.
Going through the motions to get ready for bed, Hermione's mind wandered to the dark look in the Minister's eyes as he regarded her during the interview. His perfectly dark hair styled neatly. His form was tall and lean. His countenance was relaxed and a bit arrogant, as though he knew just how sexy he was.
Sexy?
Yes, he was attractive and he knew it. She wondered if he achieved quick his rise to Minister by being able to disarm so many witches with his suave charm and smiles.
The next day, Hermione took a piece of toast and a spot of coffee before she visited Luna in the hospital wing. Luna, who was indeed awake, had parchments and books spread out all over her bed and was busy writing. When she saw Hermione approach she smiled.
"I am so happy to see you. I want to hear all your thoughts on the interview firsthand. The notes you took are fine but I need details to make it more personable."
Sighing, Hermione realized she did not want to talk about the interview. Not after the gift she'd received last night.
"What do you want to know? You know, that was very cruel to send me in there without any prep, Luna."
A look of feigned confusion graced her blonde friend's face. "Everyone in the magical world of England knows the same details about the Minister. What do you think I knew to tell you that you could have prepared you more," she said.
Hermione rolled her eyes. She didn't reply to Luna who was making a dig at her as all her friends did. They always teased her that she had her nose buried in books so deep that the occurrences of everyday life passed her by. She either had to admit she knew nothing about the Minister or let the subject drop.
Taking pity, Luna did not return to her jest and instead began asking her questions, recording her answer. They were all seemingly innocent questions but Hermione realized her answers told a different story.
Q: What was his demeanor like?
A: He was cocky and arrogant. He teased me a little and seemed amused by lack of experience.
Q: What did you think of his looks?
A: He's obviously very attractive and he knows it. I suspect he uses his looks, mannerisms and charms to coax whatever he wants from people, particularly witches.
Q: He seemed very interested in you, Hermione. Why do you think that was?
A: Probably just an attempt to get back at me for some of the probing questions that you made me ask him.
When Luna finally stopped asking questions, Hermione had a desire to leave and do her own research despite her need to catch up on revision. She had one week of classes left before NEWTs began and then one week of NEWTs before she was out in the real world. Her father being a muggle meant that she would have to find her own place to live. Her dad was supportive of her but magic made him uncomfortable. He mostly just pretended it didn't exist when he could. He never complained about Hermione performing it or about her discussing it in front of him but he preferred a simple world, probably as a result of his heartbreak when her mother divorced him and went off on her own. Simple lives lead to no surprises.
Hermione studied and caught up on yesterday's missed revision but she had trouble focusing. She allowed herself to research the Minister to sate her urges before going back to her rigorous revision schedule.
Tom Marvolo Riddle was born to a witch and a muggle. He was not wanted by his father and his mother had died shortly after he was born. He lived in an orphanage, one of the last one's functioning in England. Nothing was stated about the state of the orphanage but Hermione gathered that the children were not treated well.
Riddle had attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1981-1988 and was a prefect, and Head Boy. He was well liked by his peers and teachers. Somewhere around his fourth year, there were Daily Prophet articles that showed him with the Malfoy family. Abraxas and Lysandra Malfoy were photographed with a young adult Lucious Malfoy, their son, and a teenage Tom Riddle at a quidditch game. There were several more articles that popped up when she looked for Tom Riddle's name but there were just simple announcements of his appointment to a desk job at the Ministry or his appointment to an undersecretary job. She saw very few photos of him in any of the articles which seemed off. He was listed as a guest at many Ministry galas and other social events but never photographed. The most interesting piece of information she came across was the records of Tom Riddle's NEWTs. He currently holds the record of 11 NEWTs, all O's aside from one EE in divination. Hermione grimaced at that because she was also not confident in that subject.
With her curiosity satisfied, mostly, she returned to her revision and worked hard as she worked towards her goal and she tried not to let her mind wander to the cocky smile on the Ministers face when he leaned into her space at the lift, wishing her luck on her NEWTs knowing he held the record.
Her week flew by. She went to classes and when she wasn't in classes, she studied. Hard. She barely slept as she was up late either in the library, the common room, or in her four poster bed with her blue bell flame in a jar so she could read without disturbing her dormmates.
Luna had been released from the hospital wing and together with Ginny, wrote up the last issue of The Hogwarts Happenings which was to be published on Monday, a week before they were to leave the school as graduated adults.
By Saturday, Hermione was feeling run down. She trudged to her job and worked all day putting in extra hours so that she could earn just a little bit more. She didn't want Ginny or Luna trying to pay more than their share of the flat rental.
Mr. Tolliver had received a new shipment of books in anticipation of the back to school shopping and Hermione was sweating slightly as she levitated all of the books into their places. She only had a few more crates of books to shelve when she turned around to see she was being watched. Her heart leapt into her throat. The Minister, Tom Riddle himself, was leaning against a bookshelf casually, watching her work. She felt very self conscious and cast a wandless non-verbal spell to rid herself of sweat and smell. From the turn up of his mouth, he had noticed her face reverting from shiny to clean.
"Hello, welcome to Tomes and Scrolls. How can I be of assistance?" she offered him politely as though he hadn't been watching her for Merlin knows how long.
"Well, it's nice to see you again, Miss Granger. A very pleasant coincidence, indeed. I had a meeting scheduled up at the school for earlier this afternoon regarding the upcoming graduation. I thought I'd stop in for something to read before I have dinner in Hogsmeade. I see you are hard at work. I confess I would have thought you'd be studying as your NEWTs begin on Monday."
She was embarrassed that her mouth gaped for a moment before she recovered her manners. "It's nice to see you again, so soon, Minister. I could not say no to my shift today but I did bring my books in case there was a lull in which I might revise. Mr. Tolliver had quite a lot in store for me today, though. I've only nearly completed my tasks for the day. I have time to assist you, if you have something you need help with," she said as professionally as she could.
"I'm actually just looking for something to read that will keep my interest. I'm open to whatever suggestions you might have," he told her and she tried not to stare at the way his mouth moved around the words he spoke. So clean an accent and so proper in his manner of speaking. It was so different from all the boys in the school she saw daily.
The bell dinged indicating a customer. Hermione cast an apologetic look at Riddle before approaching the door.
"Hello, Welcome to Tomes and Scrolls, how can I-"
She was cut off as Cormac McLaggen swept her up in a hug and spun her around. She beat her fists against his chest and tried to laugh it off even though she was uncomfortable.
"Mr. McLaggen, welcome back from your travels. Your uncle isn't here at the moment. I believe he went home since he left me instructions to close up when I was done for the day."
The man-child in front of her ignored her proper address and grabbed her hand to press a kiss upon it and spin her around.
"Damn, Granger, you get better every time I see you. I only just returned to England and I was hoping if I was fast enough, I'd catch you at work," he said as he eyed her up and down.
Never one to appreciate males making fun of her appearance or any attention to her physical appearance at all, blushed and stepped out of reach of Cormac.
"Yes, well, your uncle left me quite a bit of work that I've yet to complete and I still have a customer to assist before I can continue. I'm glad to see you've safely returned but I'm afraid I have to return to my work."
She saw movement from the corner of her eye and saw when Cormac saw it as well. His eyes widened comically and his mouth dropped open.
"Mr. McLaggin, I take it. I would like to say your uncles store is very well stocked," Riddle smoothly said as he trailed a long finger down the spine of a nearby book. Hermione wasn't fooled though, He was interrupting their conversation either to bring her attention back to himself or to warn McLaggen away.
"Whoa, the Minister. Merlin's balls!" was the brilliant statement that Cormac gave.
Sighing irritatingly at the boy, Hermione tried to help guide him out the door.
"If I see Mr. Tolliver tonight I shall tell him you came to visit him, Mr. McLaggen. I hope you have a relaxing night after all your travels."
Not really sure what to say in front of the Minister of Magic, Cormac threw her another smile and waved as he left.
She couldn't help but sag a little in relief when he left without asking her out. She turned to see a very serious expression on the Minister's face.
"I take it he is not your boyfriend?"
"Err, no. Not at all," Hermione replied meekly. She was actually embarrassed about the Minister seeing Cormac 's disgusting display. No matter what she said, he was never deterred.
"I hope you know that no one has the right to handle you without your consent," Riddle informed her ominously. His dark eyes were burning a hole through her.
She nodded, embarrassment flushing through her. "He's very enthusiastic and is difficult to dissuade but he will eventually get the message."
Riddle said nothing but looked around the shop. Her eyes followed to see what he was looking for when she realized that all of the books had been properly shelved and stocked during her exchange with Cormac.
"Hey! You did my work for me!"
A boyish smile took over his face and Hermione felt her heart race a bit.
"I've an ulterior motive, I assure you," the Minister said. "I needed your help selecting something to read for pleasure and then, since you appear to have finished your daily work, I'd like to take you for a drink at the Hogshead Tavern."
She blinked. Ignoring the part about going out for a drink because it was too much to be true, she walked among the stacks scanning over the books until she came to a selection that she thought was perfect. She picked up the nicest copy they had and handed it over.
Flipping the book over, front to back, Riddle raised an eyebrow at her. 'Lavinia's Plight'?"
"Have you read it?" she asked, knowing it likely that he had not. When he shook his head slowly, she took the book back from him and headed to the till. She set out some brown paper on the counter and while Riddle was approaching the front counter, she pointed her wand at a page in the book she'd known by heart and marked a passage for him.
While wrapping the book in paper, she told him, "I thought you might find some interest in a story of a young girl whose magic was too much for her. A dark wizard takes her to his castle and promises to help her harness it but instead he turns out to be a monster of the worst kind. She eventually escapes but I won't ruin the details for you."
A wicked smile slowly stretches across his face and she fumbles the Spell-o-tape for a moment.
"Yes, that does sound like an interesting plot. I wonder what this Lavinia character learns from her capture," he says to her, head cocked as though waiting for a smart remark from Hermione.
She slides the brown papered book across to him and rings the till. "10 sickles and 5 knuts please, sir."
The Minister slides 11 sickles across to her and waves off his change. "Now that I have my newest reading material, I wonder where we landed on that drink?"
She chewed her lip. She had no idea why the Minister was so interested in her but she was sure no good could come from it. She would end up heartbroken by this beautiful man or embarrassed. Shouldn't he care about being seen in public with her?
"I promise to be a gentleman. A drink. That's all I'm asking. I feel like our discussion ended prematurely last week and I feel short changed," he said softly, hands folded over the book in front of him. His posture was so different from the boys at school.
Guilty at having done something to offend the Minister of Magic inadvertently, she nodded her head. "I can spare time for a drink before I need to revise before curfew."
He smiled at her indulgently and went to stand by the door as she went about noxing the torches and casting the security spells and wards on the shop. She grabbed her tiny beaded handbag that she was using as a replacement for her old messenger bag and went to the door where Riddle held it open.
"After you, Hermione," he said.
She closed the door and cast the last of the wards to secure the storefront until Mr. Tolliver opened up tomorrow. When she turned around, Riddle's jaw was tight and his eyes were on her bag. Hermione shuffled her feet and the look was gone. He offered her his arm and for a moment she did not know what to do. She remembered her manners quickly and placed her hand on the crook of his elbow and followed him as he guided her through the streets of Hogsmeade to the Hogshead Tavern.
"Was the satchel I sent to you not to your liking," he asked conversationally but she could hear the undercurrent in his tone.
"It was the most lovely satchel I've ever seen," Hermione admitted, eyes ahead.
"May I ask why, one week later, you've not taken to using it?"
She chanced a glance at him and saw that he was watching her rather than the road ahead.
Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she said quietly, "It's too much of a gift, sir. You should have no reason to feel guilty for my clumsiness at your office. I cannot accept it."
His jaw was tight again and he looked angry.
"Please forgive my atrocious lack of manners in sending a 'thank you' card with the return of the package you sent me. It's a lame excuse but I really have been busy revising."
"Of that, I've no doubt," Riddle said wryly.
He held open the door to the establishment and without greeting the barman or waiting to be seated, he steered her towards the back where a corner booth was installed perfectly poised to see the entire comings and goings of the tavern.
Sliding into the booth was a bit difficult as there were a few rips in the upholstery seats but she got comfortable.
"I'll pick us up a drink. What would you like?"
"Oh, um, just Butterbeer would be fine," she muttered, looking around. She'd never actually been to this seedy tavern before. She could see why it wasn't a place for Hogwarts students. There was hardly a customer in the joint aside from them and a man at the bar who was leaning on it so heavily she thought he might have passed out.
The barman eyed Riddle with disdain but served him quickly and he returned to their booth with an empty tankard, a bottle of butterbeer, and a glass of what looked to be firewhiskey.
After setting the drinks down and sliding into the booth much more elegantly than she had, he cast a scourify at the glass and then opened her Butterbeer and poured it into the tankard expertly.
"Thank you."
"Of course, now, tell me how the article is coming," Riddle grinned.
She told him about how Luna was pleased with the notes she'd taken and grilled her for further details. He smiled at that. "What sort of details did she ask you that were not recorded on parchment?"
Her face flamed. "Mostly just subjective guesswork."
She could tell he was pleased and it made her breath quicken. He was very handsome but it was his expressions and mannerisms that she enjoyed. She watched his long finger circle the top of his glass and the way he traced the ridges on the sides of it.
"Would you like a sip," he offered when he saw where she was looking.
"I'm not much of a drinker," she admitted.
He took a drink and set his glass down. His hand came to rest on the table top only an inch from hers. She couldn't think that it was anything but purposeful and yet, why would he?
She drank the last of her Butterbeer and opened her beaded purse to grab a few coins. She wasn't able to locate it right away and stuck her whole arm in to scrape a sickle off the bottom. She saw Riddle watching her and realized she'd yet again flaunted her illegal charmwork in front of the Minister. She set it on the table and this time his hand was on top of her own.
"It's on me, Hermione."
Her eyes, so dark, so expressive. She could get lost in them. Suddenly recalling the quote on the parchment he'd sent her tucked away in the expensive reproduction of Merlin's journal. Was she at the edge of an abyss here with this charming, witty, intelligent, well-mannered, gorgeous older man? Was the abyss his eyes? Perhaps it would be worth almost falling into the abyss if she got to feel his hands on her for only a moment longer than she just had.
Shaking her head as if to knock some sense into herself, she asked him quietly if he minded if she returned to Hogwarts.
Ever the gentleman, he stood and offered his arm which she took. Riddle said farewell to the grumpy barman and held the door for her once more.
The air was cool and dark now as it had been twilight when they entered the tavern. Riddle escorted her through Hogsmeade but she realized he was taking the long route.
"Do you always dress like this?"
Startled, she nodded her head. "Usually. I dress comfortably because I'm usually doing grunt work or studying."
That answer must have been acceptable because he said nothing for a moment. They were approaching the far more popular Three Broomsticks now and even from down the road Hermione could hear the jolly chants and cheers from patrons listening to a quidditch game on the Wizarding Wireless.
"So if that boy wasn't your boyfriend, who is?"
This was a very personal question for the Minister to be asking anyone under the guise of a turnabout interview even if she had asked if he was gay.
Shrugging, she didn't really know how to answer that without embarrassing herself.
"I don't have one. How about yourself?" she finally retorted.
He shook his head slowly. "Oh Hermione, I don't do the girlfriend thing."
And there it was. She knew she was going to either be heartbroken or embarrassed. In this case it was both. She yanked her hand off his arm and turned to walk away only to stumble when a man apparated nearly on top of her.
"Shit, Hermione!"
Riddle yanked her backwards as the man who had apparated stumbled around to get his footing. He appeared to be drunk already as he had missed the Three Broomsticks apparition zone entirely.
She was warm in the night air as she was pulled into Riddle's arms. She could feel his hands on her elbows from where he'd grabbed her and pulled her to safety. Safely into his strong chest. Her nose was level with the hollow of his collarbone and she could smell sandalwood and birchwater and something else she couldn't place. It was so masculine that she could smell it constantly and never tire of it.
Perhaps she should have realized she was cold before now having not brought a cloak or a robe to work but here in the young Minister's arms, she was warm and her heart was beating fast. This felt like a place she belonged and her arms tingled with the feeling of his hands touching her.
Slowly, she looked up to see him watching her. Her eyes were level with his nice lips and she couldn't help but to lick her own. Her eyes sought his wondering if the way he was holding her, looking at her, was going to amount to anything.
Hermione Granger was not a girl used to flirting or playing games with boys but she was sure he'd been flirting with her in a very subtle Slytherin way.
He swallowed and his head tilted to the side slightly. She tilted the opposite way. Maybe now she'd be able to finally have a first kiss.
"Hermione," her name was rich on his tongue. "I'm not going to kiss you. I'm going to let you go now."
He stepped away from her first and then removed his hands from her elbows. She shivered.
Obediently, Riddle took his robe off and draped it over her shoulders. "Did you not even bring a robe?"
Suddenly she felt like she was a first year being admonished for something stupid like when Ron and Harry accidentally let off a Fillibuster wetstart firecracker by blowing on it, not realizing their breath would have moisture in it.
Anger took over. Why would he send her gifts, help her complete her job, ask her to choose a book for him, buy her a drink, ask her if she had a boyfriend, save her from injury, and then refuse to kiss her? She was so confused and angry at herself for even starting to think maybe he wanted her. Why would he, right?
"Thank you for the drink, Minister," she ground out before storming off.
She was careful to try not to trip over his robe as he was much taller than she. His footsteps followed her quickly.
"Miss Granger, wait. Please?"
It was the tone of the word 'please' that had her stopping. She got the impression that he didn't say it much.
He caught up to her and she watched in awe as he ran a hand through his dark, neatly styled hair.
"Look, I'm sorry for confusing you. That was not my intention. Hermione, you should stay away from me."
Whatever she thought he would say, that was not it.
"Stay away from you? But, you sought me out," she stated, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Yes, and I might do so again so you are officially warned that I am not the right wizard for you," he forewarned her.
Even in the dark his eyes glittered with untold meaning. Sighing, she folded her arms across her chest.
"Goodnight, Tom," she said.
For a brief moment she had the victory of watching the surprise flicker across his face at her usage of his given name but then she turned and walked the rest of the way to the Hogwarts gates, back to safety.